This application claims the benefit of Korean Patent Application Serial No. 2001-6630, filed Feb. 10, 2001.
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an intestinal endoscopic apparatus and system. More particularly, the present invention relates to a self-propelled endoscopic micro-robot that moves in a tubular organ or intestine by an internally-generated impact force, and that obtains precise information of the interior of the tubular organ or intestine.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Generally, endoscopes are useful medical devices for inspecting and examining the interior of tubular organs, such as a colon, that are otherwise inaccessible to examination by a physician or other healthcare provider. The endoscopic examination is a procedure requiring highly skilled techniques. The endoscopic technique was developed to reduce the necessity of surgical operations in the course of diagnostic procedures, to reduce patient discomfort, and to reduce recovery time and possible side effects.
The robot of the present invention has an autonomous ability to move within the tubular organs of a patient and to adapt its configuration to that of the surrounding environment. As an example, an endoscopic robot according to the prior art, designed for being inserted into the tubular organ such as an intestine of the patient and advanced therein in a prefixed direction with a so-called inchworm-like motion, moves in the intestine by pulling or sucking the interior walls of the intestine and obtains the images of the intestine.
The inchworm-like motion of the prior art endoscopic robot does not always enable trouble-free movement in the intestine. Particularly, in a problematic or a very angulated region of an intestine a conventional endoscopic robot may not easily advance and pass. Although the conventional robot may pass the problematic area, damage to or even rupture of the intestine walls may result.
In addition to the shortcomings above, use of a conventional endoscopic robot may require an endoscopist or a physician to distinguish between damage caused by the endoscope and the disease, a process which requires additional diagnostic time and thereby increases the time during which the patient must undergo examination and discomfort.
One object of the present invention is to provide a self-propelled endoscopic micro-robot that is propelled in forward and backward directions by an internally-generated impact force and which obtains precise information of the interior of the tubular organ or intestine without any damage to the walls.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a system for intestinal endoscopy obtaining precise information of an interior of the tubular organ or intestine using a self-propelled micro-robot that is propelled through the tubular organ or intestine in forward and backward directions by an impact force generated within the robot by a propulsion piston that is moved within a cylinder of the robot by an alternating source of pressurized air.
In order to accomplish the object, the present invention provides a system for intestinal endoscopy, comprising: a air pressure supplier for generating a predetermined pressure; and a self-propelled endoscopic micro-robot with which a air pressure supplier is externally connected capable of moving in a tubular organ without any damage to the tubular organ by an impact force generated by a pneumatic pressure provided and sucked by the pneumatic pressure supplier, and obtaining precise images of the interior of the tubular organ.
In order to accomplish the above objectives, the present invention provides a system for intestinal endoscopy, including an air pressure supply and a self-propelled endoscopic micro-robot. The air pressure supply generates an alternating pneumatic pressure that is supplied to the robot. The robot is propelled through the tubular organ by an impact force generated within the robot by the alternating pneumatic pressure. The robot moves in the tubular organ without damage thereto and obtains precise images of the interior of the tubular organ.
In order to accomplish the other object, the present invention provides a system for internal endoscopy, comprising: 1) a self-propelled endoscopic micro robot for intestinal endoscopy, including: (a) a photographing unit for photographing an interior of a tubular organ; (b) an illuminating unit provided on said photographing unit for illuminating the interior of the tubular organ; (c) a pneumatic actuator including a pneumatic cylinder, with a propulsion piston movably set within the pneumatic cylinder, said cylinder having a plurality of holes on its sidewall, and said propulsion piston pneumatically coming into collision with either end wall of the pneumatic cylinder to generate a propulsion force; (d) a damper for protecting the photographing unit from propulsive impact force generated by the propulsion piston; and (e) a plurality of linear actuators set between the photographing unit and the pneumatic cylinder actuator, wherein said actuators are adjustable in their lengths as desired; and 2) a pneumatic pressure supply unit connected to the pneumatic cylinder actuator of said robot through a hose, and selectively feeding pressurized air into the pneumatic cylinder of the pneumatic cylinder actuator to move the self-propelled endoscopic micro robot.